WASHINGTON, October 30, 2014 – According to a report by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), one in seven Americans, or 15 percent of the U.S. population, has a learning disability. A 2012 report from the U.S. Census Bureau revealed that 41 percent of individuals ages 21 to 64 with a disability were employed in 2010, down from nearly 46 percent in 2005. Furthermore, while 69 percent of high school graduates with learning disabilities have goals of competitive employment, only 46 percent are able to obtain regular paid employment within two years of graduating, according to the National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD).

BroadFutures, an emerging Washington, D.C.-based non-profit organization, is committed to serving this growing, underrepresented group of young adults with learning disabilities by using an innovative program designed to help combat these pressing issues. BroadFutures’ program employs a unique combination of holistic, individualized training and mentorship, coupled with paid internship opportunities.

Pilot program interns meet with employer partners for evaluation.

“BroadFutures offers an innovative approach to youth transitions with learning disabilities,” says Mark Perriello, president, CEO, American Association of People with Disabilities. “This specialized program puts in place the tools and resources, coupled with personalized and creative influences, needed to make it in the workforce. Simply put, BroadFutures is unique and welcome in our space.”

Founded in August 2013 by Carolyn Jeppsen, Diana Eisenstat and Bradley Holmes, BroadFutures successfully completed its first of three pilot programs in August 2014. To promote openness and establish a strong presence, the pilot stage consists of three phases – the second phase occurring in January 2015, and the third in summer 2015.

“Very few of the successful existing workforce programs effectively address the transitional needs of young adults who have adequate cognitive skills and capabilities for the workplace but lack the organizational, attentive and social abilities to independently navigate employment,” says Carolyn Jeppsen, CEO, president, co-founder, BroadFutures. “That’s what BroadFutures is working to address.”

￼Diana Eisenstat, co-founder, program director, presents pilot program interns with certificates of achievement.

BroadFutures secures internship positions for a period of eight to 14 weeks, and focuses on social emotional skills and workplace preparedness. As a part of the program, BroadFutures also regularly incorporates stress reduction techniques such as yoga, meditation and cognitive exercise, in addition to implementing group sessions and drama as a medium for delivering workforce curriculum. The creative blend of influences fosters independence, self-advocacy and successful future employment for young adults.

“It’s important when working with students with disabilities to have that holistic type of approach,” says Raymond Hutchison, program manager, office of specialized instruction, District of Columbia Public Schools. “BroadFutures is doing a great job of incorporating both external and professional elements to promote independent self-advocacy.”

Five interns participated in BroadFutures’ inaugural pilot program, with three employer partners – AES Corporation, Arlington, Virginia, a global power company that owns and operates a diverse portfolio of electricity generation and distribution businesses, Griffin & Company, Inc., Washington, D.C., a public relations and marketing communications agency, and Inergix, McLean, Virginia, a diversified energy development and integration company.

At the conclusion of the summer pilot program, all participants, including interns, parents, employers, service providers and mentors, stated they would recommend the BroadFutures program. Employer partners felt interns were well-prepared and all interns successfully completed their internships and were given letters of recommendation.

For more information on how BroadFutures is creating an inclusive workforce for all individuals to have an equal opportunity to succeed, visit www.broadfutures.org.

WASHINGTON, October 30, 2014 – According to a report by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), one in seven Americans, or 15 percent of the U.S. population, has a learning disability. A 2012 report from the U.S. Census Bureau revealed that 41 percent of individuals ages 21 to 64 with a disability were employed in 2010, down from nearly 46 percent in 2005. Furthermore, while 69 […]

This summer, we were thrilled to expand the BroadFutures program and its available internship opportunities by partnering with seven new employers on the District Wharf, the new development project in Southwest D.C. With this new partnership, a group of BroadFutures interns worked on the Wharf in a variety of customer service and community programming positions. In their seven-week internships, the growth of these young people was inspiring as they were able to expand upon their skills and gain new experiences in their journey towards professional development and to reach their potential. We are thankful to have a shared mission with the District Wharf of empowering young people who are diverse learners and expanding the workforce.

Thank you to our employer partners, InterContinental Washington D.C. – The Wharf, Concord, Colonial Parking, Entertainment Cruises, The Southwest Business Improvement District (SWBID), CBRE, and Wharf Marina, for such a successful partnership. We look forward to our continued and inspired collaboration!

This summer, we were thrilled to expand the BroadFutures program and its available internship opportunities by partnering with seven new employers on the District Wharf, the new development project in Southwest D.C. With this new partnership, a group of BroadFutures interns worked on the Wharf in a variety of customer service and community programming positions. […]

BroadFutures is a young non-profit located in Washington, DC with a mission to empower young adults (18-26) with non-apparent disabilities through a holistic training, mentoring and paid internship program. BroadFutures partners with specialists in drama, speech therapy, yoga and meditation, bringing an innovative and unique perspective to the area of transition and workforce preparedness. BroadFutures has completed three successful pilot programs and is now taking its model to scale with its winter 2016 program.

BroadFutures is a young non-profit located in Washington, DC with a mission to empower young adults (18-26) with non-apparent disabilities through a holistic training, mentoring and paid internship program. BroadFutures partners with specialists in drama, speech therapy, yoga and meditation, bringing an innovative and unique perspective to the area of transition and workforce preparedness. BroadFutures […]

BroadFutures, a non-profit organization committed to promoting and facilitating the successful entry into the workforce of young adults with learning disabilities, celebrated its first anniversary and annual fundraiser in early November, also honoring U.S. Congressman Chris Van Hollen (D – Maryland) for his public service to individuals with learning disabilities.

BroadFutures, a non-profit organization committed to promoting and facilitating the successful entry into the workforce of young adults with learning disabilities, celebrated its first anniversary and annual fundraiser in early November, also honoring U.S. Congressman Chris Van Hollen (D – Maryland) for his public service to individuals with learning disabilities. Read the full article here.

WASHINGTON, November 13, 2015 – BroadFutures, a non-profit organization committed to promoting and facilitating the successful entry into the workforce of young adults with learning disabilities, celebrated its first anniversary and annual fundraiser in early November, also honoring U.S. Congressman Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland) for his public service to individuals with learning disabilities.“Congressman Van Hollen has been a staunch advocate for persons with disabilities in and out of the workplace and we were so pleased to recognize his efforts to help broaden the futures of individuals of diverse abilities,” said Carolyn Jeppsen, chief executive officer, president and co-founder at BroadFutures. “We honor his continued work in championing the rights and contributions of young adults with learning, as well as other disabilities.”

Congressman Van Hollen received the BroadFutures Champion Award, which recognizes exceptional individual endeavors in advancing the cause of successful work experiences for young adults with learning disabilities.

Held at the Katzen Arts Center on the campus of American University in Washington, DC, the fundraiser successfully reached its goal of a 40 percent increase from last year for donations and a 35 percent increase in attendance. Guests included disability community advocates, BroadFutures Board of Directors, participating employers and prospective employers, BroadFutures interns and their parents, and donors supporting the BroadFutures mission.

BroadFutures collaborates with employers in the Greater Washington, DC region to fill a gap in the workforce for young adults with learning disabilities ages 18 to 26. BroadFutures provides an innovative training, mentoring and paid internship program. It secures paid internship positions with employers for a period of seven to 12 weeks, and focuses on workplace preparedness, communication, social emotional skills, incorporating speech pathology and drama as a medium for delivering the curriculum. Stress reduction techniques such as yoga, meditation and mindfulness as well as cognitive exercise are regularly integrated into the program. BroadFutures utilizes a mentor/coach model and ongoing group training to ensure the success of both the interns and employer partners. BroadFutures is always looking for interns and company partners. Visit www.BroadFutures.org/interns to learn more.###

About BroadFutures

BroadFutures is committed to advancing the inherent potential of young adults with learning disabilities, ages 18 to 26. BroadFutures’ program model uses a unique combination of holistic, individualized training and mentorship, coupled with paid internship opportunities.

Congressman Van Hollen is pictured middle with BroadFutures interns WASHINGTON, November 13, 2015 – BroadFutures, a non-profit organization committed to promoting and facilitating the successful entry into the workforce of young adults with learning disabilities, celebrated its first anniversary and annual fundraiser in early November, also honoring U.S. Congressman Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland) for his public […]

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